Compare towns
Chester vs Dracut vs Windham vs Springfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chester has the oldest population (median age 49.7).
Dracut has the most expensive homes ($474k median).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Chester | Dracut | Windham | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,992 |
32,574Highest |
594Lowest |
9,084 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
41.7±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
43.2±3.7 11% above U.S. |
| Chester and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Dracut and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±7.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chester and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$114,036±$10kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$66,571±$13k 18% below U.S. |
| Dracut and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $232,900±$44k 30% below U.S. |
$473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$192,400±$20kLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
— | $963±$100 32% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,262Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$5,375 72% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.6%±15.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dracut and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #49 of 70 in VT | #201 of 282 in MA | — | #64 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Dracut | — | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District |
| High school in town | Green Mountain Union High School | Dracut Senior High | — | Springfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7Lowest |
12.9 |
— | 14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.